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Trans/Nonbinary Ace College Student Study

In 2025, Genny Beemyn and Shay Valley, a leading asexual (ace) scholar, conducted the first national U.S. study of undergrads and grad students who are both (1) asexual (ace) and (2) trans and/or nonbinary. They undertook this research to better understand the experiences of ace trans/nonbinary college students, given that a disproportionate number of ace youth identify as trans/nonbinary and vice-versa. (Read more about the study in What’s the Buzz.)

The following results are based on the responses of 140 trans/nonbinary ace college students in the U.S. who completed a survey and did a follow-up interview between February 3 and May 15, 2025.

Demographics of Trans/NB Ace College Students

College Attended

• Students were from 78 colleges. Twenty-two schools had more than one participant (the highest number of participants from one school was 12, the second most was 9). Fifty-six schools had just one participant.

• Of the 78 colleges, 7 were community colleges, 2 were historically women’s colleges, 2 were religiously affiliated, 1 was a medical school, 1 was a music college, and 1 was an art college.

• The students attended colleges in 28 different states.

Political Ideology of the States Where the Participants Attended College

Using the Movement Advancement Project’s LGBTQ Equality by State policy tally scores (as of 5/20/25), which are assigned to each state based on its laws and policies that influence “LGBTQ people’s lives, experiences, and equality”:

• 71 students (50.7%) were in 13 states (CA, CO, IL, MA, MD, ME, MN, NJ, NY, NV,  OR, VT, and WA) that had a high policy tally 
• 31 students (22.1%) were in 3 states (MI, NH, and VA) that had a medium policy tally
• 11 students (7.9%) were in 2 states (PA and WI) that had a fair policy tally
• 12 students (8.6%) were in 4 states (AZ, NC, ND, and OH) that had a low policy tally
• 15 students (10.7%) were in 6 states (GA, IN, MO, SC, TN, and TX) that had a  negative policy tally

Thus, nearly three-fourths of students (72.8%) were in states that were supportive or somewhat supportive of LGBTQ rights. 

• Of the 28 states represented in the study, 14 voted for Harris and 14 voted for him.

• 83 students (59.3%) were attending colleges in blue states, 57 (40.7%) were in red states.

Age

• The participants ranged from 18-40 years old.
• The average age was 22.8 years old.
• The modal age was 21 (13 were eighteen-year olds, 12 were nineteen-year olds, 18 were twenty-year olds, 27 were twenty-one-year olds, 16 were twenty-two-year olds).

While there were more 20-22 year-old students than 18-19 year-old students in the study, the inclusion of grad students pushed the average age to about the time when traditional undergrad students graduate (11 students were in their 30s and one was 40).

Student Status

• 30 (21.4%) were 4th year undergrads at a 4-year institution
• 21 (15%) were PhD students (2 of whom were ABD)
• 20 (14.3%) were 3rd year undergrads at a 4-year institution
• 19 (13.6%) were master’s degree students
• 19 (13.6%) were 1st year undergrads at a 4-year institution
• 13 were 2nd year undergrads at a 4-year institution
• 8 were beyond 4th year undergrads at a 4-year institution
• 7 were community college students
• 3 were at other types of institutions

Citizenship Status

• 130 (92.9%) were U.S. citizens 
• 7 were dual citizens
• Less than 5 were citizens of another country (i.e., international students)
• Less than 5 were undocumented

The especially hostile climate for both trans people and non-U.S. citizens likely contributed to so few trans international and undocumented students taking part in the research.

Race

• 100 (71.4%) were White/European American
• 16 (11.4%) were biracial, multiracial
• 15 (10.7%) were Asian/Asian American
• Less than 5 were Black/African American/African
• Less than 5 were Latinx/Latine
• Less than 5 were Middle Eastern/North African

As other research on ace communities in the U.S. has found, a significant majority of the participants were white. Surprisingly, none of the participants were American Indian/Native American.

Disability Status

No disability

• 20 indicated no disabilities or chronic conditions

Neurodiversity

• 64 indicated autism
• 63 indicated ADHD or ADD
• 34 indicated both autism and ADHD
• 12 indicated OCD
• 11 indicated learning disabilities
• Less than 5 indicated neurodiverse without specifics

Altogether, 103 (73.6%) participants were neurodiverse.

Mental health conditions

• 43 indicated depression
• 49 indicated anxiety
• 34 indicated both depression and anxiety
• 15 indicated PTSD or CPTSD

Altogether, 61 (43.6%) participants indicated experiencing one or more of depression, anxiety, PTSD/CPTSD

Assigned Sex

• 108 (77.1%) were assigned female
• 28 (20%) were male
• Less than 5 were intersex
• Less than 5 did not want to disclose

In keeping with other research on ace communities in the U.S., the study participants were overwhelmingly assigned female at birth.

Romantic Attraction

• 63 (45%) used multiple labels 
• 34 (24.3%) were aro
• 9 were biromantic
• 7 were demi
• 7 were homoromantic
• 6 were queer-romantic
• 6 were questioning/unsure
• 5 were panromantic
• Less than 5 used another term

Reflecting the queerness of ace communities in the U.S., none of the participants indicated being solely heteroromantic.

Gender Identity

• 101 (72.1%) identified as nonbinary
• 14 (10%) identified as a trans woman
• 14 (10%) identified as a man or woman and nonbinary
• 11 (7.9%) identified as a trans man

Nonbinary Identities Breakdown (n = 101)

• 25 identified as nonbinary
• 20 used multiple nonbinary labels
• 19 identified as agender
• 16 identified as genderqueer 
• 12 identified as transmasc 
• Less than 5 identified as transfemme
• 5 used another term(s) for themselves

Other terms used in the multiple labels: stellunarian/nebularian, gender apathetic, bigender, demigender, demiboy, maverique, gendernull, gendervoid, multigender, autigender

Sexual Identity 

(some also gave their romantic attraction, most commonly aro, queer, and lesbian)

• 87 (62.1%) identified as ace/asexual 
• 22 (15.7%) identified as demi 
• 15 (10.7%) identified as gray/grey 
• 16 (11.4%) used another term(s) for themselves

The participants used fewer different terms to describe their sexual identity than their gender identity, perhaps because the ace community has emerged more recently than the nonbinary community.

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Identifying and Outness in Trans/NB Ace College Students

Note: n=140 (all participants) unless otherwise noted.

When Identified as NB/Trans vs. Ace

• Age at which began using current gender identity term(s): 18.2
• Age at which began using current sexual identity term(s): 17.2

On average, the participants identified as ace a year younger than as NB/trans.

Ease/Difficulty of Identifying as NB/Trans vs. Ace to Themselves

	NB/Trans	Ace
Very easy	10 (7.1%)	22 (15.7%)
Easy	17 (12.1%)	30 (21.4%)
Somewhat easy/difficult	67 (47.9%)	37 (26.4%)
Difficult	36 (25.7%)	36 (25.7%)
Very difficult	10 (7.1%)	15 (10.7%)

The participants found it easier to accept themselves as ace than as NB/trans (37.1% vs. 19.2% easy or very easy).

When Disclosed to Parents as NB/Trans vs. Ace

• Age at which disclosed their gender identity to parents: 19.0
• Age at which disclosed their sexual identity to parents: 17.9

 (2 people did not provide the age at which they disclosed their gender identities to parents)

On average, the participants who were out came out to their parents and friends as ace at about the same time, but came out to their friends as NB/trans before they did so to their parents (see the data on friends below).

Extent to Which Out to Parents as NB/Trans vs. Ace

	NB/Trans	Ace
Completely out	63 (45%)	40 (28.6%)
Somewhat out	47 (33.6%)	59 (42.1%)
Not out at all	30 (21.4%)	41 (29.3%)

The participants were much more out to their parents as NB/trans than as ace. Students who were medically transitioning essentially had to come out to them (although a few had yet to do so), and other students did so to avoid being deadnamed and misgendered. Some participants did not come out to their parents as ace because they did not feel comfortable talking to them about their sexuality or felt that their parents would not understand asexuality.

Extent to Which Out to Parents as NB

	NB (n=101)
Completely out	35 (34.7%)
Somewhat out	39 (38.6%)
Not out at all	27 (26.7%)

Not surprisingly, almost all of the students who were not out or only somewhat out to their parents were nonbinary, as most were not medically transitioning and could, if they wanted, live as nonbinary only at college.

Ease/Difficulty of Identifying as NB/Trans vs. Ace to Parents

	NB/Trans (n=110)	Ace (n=99)
Very easy	1 (0.9%)	3 (3%)
Easy	12 (10.9%)	18 (18.2%)
Somewhat easy/difficult	28 (25.5%)	41 (41.4%)
Difficult	38 (34.5%)	24 (24.2%)
Very difficult	31 (28.2%)	13 (13.1%)

The students were much more out to their parents as NB/trans than as ace, but for those who were out as ace to them, it was easier than coming out as NB/trans (37.3% indicated it was difficult or very difficult to disclose as ace to parents vs. 62.7% as NB/trans).

Ease/Difficulty of Identifying as NB to Parents

	NB (n=74)
Very easy	1 (1.4%)
Easy	6 (8.1%)
Somewhat easy/difficult	22 (29.7%)
Difficult	26 (35.1%)
Very difficult	19 (25.7%)

The NB students were more likely than the students with other gender identities to state that it was very difficult to come out to their parents.

When Disclosed to Friends as NB/Trans vs. Ace

• Age at which began disclosing their gender identity to friends: 18.4
• Age at which began disclosing their sexual identity to friends: 17.9

(1 person did not provide the age at which they disclosed their sexual identity to friends; 2 people were not out as ace to friends)

While the participants disclosed to friends as ace at a younger age on average than as NB/trans, the time between coming out to themselves and coming out to friends was shorter in terms of NB/trans (18.2 to 18.4 years or 0.2 years) than in terms of ace (17.2 to 17.9 or 0.7 years). 

Extent to Which Out to Friends as NB/Trans vs. Ace

	NB/Trans	Ace
Out to all	73 (52.1%)	47 (33.6%)
Out to most	51 (36.4%)	60 (42.9%)
Out to some	7 (5%)	15 (10.7%)
Out to a few	9 (6.4%)	16 (11.4%)
Not out	0	2 (1.4%)

The participants are out to more of their friends as NB/trans than as ace (88.5% vs. 76.5% are out to all or most). This is not surprising, as gender is much more visible in society (e.g., individuals medically and socially transitioning/changing gender presentation). In addition, some participants stated that being ace did not often come up with their friends (they would disclose if asked or if it seemed relevant to a situation) or they did not see the need to come out, as they were not looking for sexual partners. Some also did not want to have to explain what ace is to others.

Ease/Difficulty of Identifying as NB/Trans vs. Ace to Friends

	NB/Trans (n=140)	Ace (n=138)
Very easy	37 (26.4%)	50 (36.2%)
Easy	57 (40.7%)	44 (31.9%)
Somewhat easy/difficult	33 (23.6%)	32 (23.2%)
Difficult	12 (8.6%)	11 (8%)
Very difficult	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)

Perhaps because participants avoided disclosing to friends who would not understand asexuality, the reception they received to coming out as ace was slightly better to their reception coming out as NB/trans (68.1% stated that it was easy or very easy to be out to friends as ace vs. 67.1% as NB/trans).

Extent to Which Out at College as NB/Trans vs. Ace

	NB/Trans	Ace
Out to all	58 (41.4%)	18 (12.9%)
Out to most	36 (25.7%)	22 (15.7%)
Out to some	23 (16.4%)	39 (27.9%)
Out to a few	12 (8.6%)	38 (27.1%)
Not out	11 (7.9%)	23 (16.4%)

The participants were much more likely to be out on campus as NB/trans than as ace (67.1% vs. 28.6% were out to all or most) because they essentially had to be. While a small number of participants were not transitioning or had already transitioned and thus did not have to disclose to others, most were socially/medically transitioning in college so could not avoid being out as NB/trans. For example, nonbinary participants had to disclose to others if they wanted to be referred to as they/them or another set of non-gendered pronouns. More than twice the number of participants were not out at all as ace than as NB/trans (23 vs. 11).

Compared to being out as ace to friends, the participants saw far less of a need to be out as ace on campus (76.5% were out to all or most of their friends as ace vs. 28.6% on campus, a difference of nearly 48%). The difference between being out as NB/trans with friends and on campus was much lower (88.5% were out to all or most of their friends as NB/trans vs. 67.1% on campus, a difference of 21.4%).

Ease/Difficulty of Identifying as NB/Trans vs. Ace at College

	NB/Trans (n=129)	Ace (n=117)
Very easy	30 (23.3%)	22 (18.8%)
Easy	43 (33.3%)	45 (38.5%)
Somewhat easy/difficult	42 (32.6%)	34 (29.1%)
Difficult	12 (9.3%)	15 (12.8%)
Very difficult	2 (1.6%)	1 (0.9%)

A majority of participants indicated that coming out as ace and as NB/trans on campus was easy or very easy (57.3% and 56.6%, respectively). But this is less positive — by more than 10% — compared to their experience coming out to friends as ace and as NB/trans (68.1% and 67.1%, respectively).